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Buccaneers in the hunt for secondary help

New England Patriots' Welker can't keep a handle on an incomplete pass against Miami Dolphins' Smith during their NFL football game in Foxborough

New England Patriots’ Wes Welker (bottom) can’t keep a handle on an incomplete pass against Miami Dolphins’ Sean Smith (24) during the second half of their NFL football game in Foxborough, Massachusetts December 30, 2012. REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

Reuters

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in search of help to upgrade a pass defense that ranked dead last in the league last season.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, the Buccaneers are pursuing several options to bolster their secondary. In addition to their chase for 49ers safety Dashon Goldson, Tampa Bay is after a trio of free agent cornerbacks in Miami’s Sean Smith, Atlanta’s Brent Grimes and Philadelphia’s Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

One complication to the Buccaneers search is the grievance filed by Eric Wright over a supposed voiding of nearly $8 million in guaranteed money for his PED suspension last season. If Wright wins the grievance, the Buccaneers will have to pay him the $7.75 million owed to him in guaranteed money. If he loses, they’ll be able to cut Wright or force him to take a pay cut.

Until that is resolved, the Buccaneers won’t know for sure how much money they have to work with

The need to upgrade their secondary is among the top of the Buccaneers issues to address this offseason. Tampa Bay ranked last in the league last season allowing 297 yards per game through the air.